Barack Obama held his first midterm rallies of the cycle Saturday in Cleveland and Detroit, NBC News and the New York Post reported. In Cleveland he backed Democrat Amy Acton for governor and former Sen. Sherrod Brown in the Senate race. He later campaigned in Detroit for Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed and Jocelyn Benson for governor, NBC News said.

Obama cast Donald Trump as an agent of chaos and cruelty. He blamed tariffs and the Iran war for higher costs, NBC News reported. He also mocked White House upgrades. He said Trump seemed fixed on home makeovers. He said the building looked like Saddam Hussein had opened a Cheesecake Factory, NBC News and the New York Post reported.

In Cleveland, Obama blasted a Ramaswamy campaign ad. The ad shows Acton's estranged mother calling her a liar. Obama said there was no line Ramaswamy would not cross. Acton said her foe was using her childhood. Ramaswamy aide Connie Luck said Ohioans cannot afford a liberal governor who shows up for Obama but never shows up for them, NBC News reported.

The New York Post framed Detroit around Obama's attack on gas prices, Canada tariffs, and the Iran war. He backed El-Sayed, who once criticized Obama. El-Sayed said those older remarks came from a younger and angry self, the Post reported. Obama is set to campaign in Atlanta on October 28 with Sen. Jon Ossoff and Keisha Lance Bottoms, NBC News said.

What we know: Obama rallied Saturday in Cleveland and Detroit. He hit Trump's record and backed Democrats in Ohio and Michigan. He also blasted the Ramaswamy ad about Acton's mother.
What we don't: How the ad fight and the two-state swing will move the close races before Election Day.